Fraternité 2020

Fraternité 2020 ( F2020 ) is a European Citizens ' Initiative (ECI ), which was initiated in 2010 at the convention of the Jeunes Citoyens Européens ( Meeting Young European citizens) in Cluny (France). The meeting was in 2011 awarded the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen. The goal of F2020 is to improve European exchange programs such as the Erasmus program or the European Voluntary Service (EVS), thus contributing to a united Europe and solidarity among citizens. The initiative was announced as the first ECI ( ECI ) on 9 May 2012 and the EBI number ECI ( 2012) 000001 registered in the EBI database.

Background

The geographical mobility within Europe is presently considered to be rather low. The success of exchange programs such as Erasmus is rather low. In 2006, less than 1 % of all students who took part in an Erasmus exchange in the EU. One reason why the Erasmus program will not be accepted better by the European students, is seen in the insufficient financial support. A further indication of the low mobility is the low number of EU citizens living in another EU country. In 2008, survived on average only 2.3 % of total EU27 citizens in another Member State.

Objectives of the initiative

F2020 proposes three measures to increase mobility:

• The Commission shall use existing resources more consistently to promote mobility. In addition, it is to encourage more funding for EU exchange programs in the future. Finally, 10 percent of the EU budget should be spent on these programs.

• Greater efforts should be made ​​to ensure that participants develop intercultural skills, such as language courses and courses offered through the traditions, history, society, etc. of the host country.

• Progress in the area of ​​mobility should be better monitored, eg by Eurostat or Euro barometer surveys.

Promotion

The initiative is among others supported by Kalypso Nicolaïdis, Josep Borrell, Giandomenico Majone, Arturas Bumšteinas, Martin Heidenreich from the University of Oldenburg, Johannes W. Pichler of the Austrian Institute for European Law and Politics, Frank Schimmelfennig ETH Zurich and numerous members of the European University Institute. As for NGOs, the initiative will, among others supported by the European Students' Forum AEGEE, the Erasmus Student Network, Scambieuropei, the Association of European electrical engineers EESTEC and industrial engineers ESTIEM, the Youth of the European People's Party, the European Cultural Parliament, the European Union, Germany, the Cultural Foundation of the Alliance, the European Movement and more The Facebook page of the initiative had in March 2012, already more than 1,700 supporters.

First reactions from EU institutions

In a letter dated 24 April 2011, the then President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek expressed his hope that Fraternité 2020 could contribute to a further step towards a more citizen- EU. The President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso highlighted the objective of the initiative produced to raise funds for Mobiliätsprogramme, indicating a " substantial " increase in the next EU budget to. In March 2010, the initiative has already received support from eight MEPs and in November of 43 members.

Europe's first EBI

The European Commission chose the symbolic date of May 9, 2012 ( Europe Day ) for the official launch of the first EBI. This should be Fraternité 2020, already announcing the Vice - President of the Commission Maroš Šefčovič via his Twitter account a day earlier. It was officially registered on May 9 and received the registration number ECI ( 2012) 000,001th